Understanding a Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning
By Natasha Wilkerson
Original Post: May 5, 2021
Updated February 2024
After conducting a review of STEM curriculum, the National Research Council concluded:
There is no widely accepted vision of what K–12 engineering education should include or accomplish. This lack of consensus reflects the ad hoc development of educational materials in engineering and no major effort has been made to define the content of K–12 engineering in a rigorous way.” (National Research Council).
This report was conducted in 2009, but I still feel that STEM teachers are being pulled in a million directions! Do you agree? Are you struggling to define a scope and sequence for your STEM or engineering classroom? Read on to learn about the current landscape of engineering education and take a closer look at the recently released Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning to help plan your engineering curriculum!
At Vivify, we focus on the following definition of STEM: students apply math and science to solve an engineering problem using technology. You can read more about our STEM philosophy here.
But how exactly does that translate into a STEM program that spans over a year or across grades? What is the overall goal of engineering education? First, let’s look at the standards that brought engineering into classrooms across the country.
NGSS and the Rise of Engineering Education
The release of the Next Generation Science Standards in 2013 represents a shift in science education to include engineering in the K-12 classroom. The goal of the NGSS is to raise engineering design to the same level as scientific inquiry by introducing a set of engineering practices to design and build models. For example, in middle school, students are expected to “develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved” (MS-ETS1-4).
NGSS views engineering primarily as a vehicle to enhance and promote science learning and emphasizes engineering design as a method to connect subjects to everyday life experiences. To date, 20 states have adopted the standards, with an additional 24 states using the NGSS to inform their standards. Click here for a map by the NSTA. The result is that most state science standards now include engineering in some capacity.
Engineering as a Separate Discipline
While the NGSS has increased the popularity of engineering in K-12 classrooms, the recently released Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning argues that engineering education needs to be taught as a separate discipline from science. Using engineering as a vehicle for science leads to the misrepresentation of engineering. As science teachers attempt to introduce engineering design (often without any training or quality curriculum) the resulting activities often lack authenticity and sophistication.
For example, the popular bridge challenge is commonly taught as an introduction to engineering design. The fun activity allows students to learn about failure and trial-and-error, but teachers rarely dive deeper into specific content. Similar challenges are repeated grade after grade with a focus on using the engineering design process to build a device. However, this leads to:
Inability to identify specific learning progression
Lack of scaffolding across grades to deepen learning
Inaccurate reflection of authentic engineering
Boredom as students see the same challenge type over and over
This also relates to the bigger question of why even teach engineering? Why should schools make room for engineering? Is it just about future jobs? Click here to listen to our discussion on this topic.
Figure 1-1 and 1-2 on page 12 from Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning
For the bridge example, the Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning provides an example of specific engineering concepts that go beyond the simple trial-and-error activity and move students towards a real understanding of authentic engineering practices and concepts. The picture above shows how a bridge design challenge can include concepts related to structural analysis and statics as well as project management skills like risk analysis.
By recognizing concepts and skills specific to engineering, educators can then develop learning outcomes and differentiate instruction based on the abilities of students.
The Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning was developed as a unifying effort to enhance the authenticity, rigor, depth, and coherency of engineering concepts and practices that are addressed in P-12 classrooms, to connect with established engineering habits of mind, and to achieve equity in engineering learning for all students. (page 13)
The Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning believes that “that every child is given an opportunity to think, learn, and act like an engineer” (p. 4). Let’s take a closer look at how they suggest we make this happen!
Engineering Framework
The framework outlines a three-dimensional approach where engineering learning should allow students to:
“Orient their ways of thinking by developing Engineering Habits of Mind
Be able to competently enact Engineering Practices
Appreciate, acquire, and apply, when appropriate, Engineering Knowledge to confront and solve the problems that they encounter” (p. 39).
Both the habits of mind and engineering practices are seen as core to achieving engineering literacy for all students. Engineering knowledge covers a broad domain of concepts that can be pulled from to support engineering learning. Let’s take a closer look at each dimension.
You can also click here for a reference sheet of the performance matrix outlined in the framework. These include learning outcomes for a high school student to provide an ideal end goal for K-12 educators.
Engineering Habits of Mind
Engineering habits of mind include optimism, persistence, collaboration, creativity, conscientiousness, and systems thinking. Habits are to be developed gradually through engineering experiences with the goal for students to effortlessly apply them to engineering-related activities.
In our STEM program, we focus on these habits of mind during Stage 1 STEM challenges such as using a tower challenge to teach collaboration. Stage 1 activities are the focus at the start of every year, but we continue to refer back to these habits of mind throughout the year. The key is to provide ongoing and repetitive opportunities to develop and practice engineering habits of mind. Select activities that will model and allow for practicing a specific habit of mind.
For example, in our Mission to Mars STEM curriculum, we focus on a different habit of mind (in our program the focus includes 21st Century Skills). Each week includes:
Focus on one skill at a time
Connect the engineering design challenge to the skill (Ex: For this mission, we will need to collaborate to collect the rock sample from the crater.)
Connect to a STEM career: Did you know that astronauts need to collaborate in order to survive a dangerous mission? We then play a video or share a story explaining how the skill is used in a career.
Reflect on the skill: Before starting the design challenge, students individually reflect on the habit. For example: Why do you think astronauts need to collaborate? How can we use collaboration during our challenge today? Then after the challenge, the class discussion includes a reflection on how collaboration was used along with areas for improvement.
Model the skill: During the design challenge, the instructor specifically looks for behaviors indicating effective use of collaboration. The instructor points out positive examples to model appropriate behaviors.
Engineering Practices
Engineering practices, the behaviors associated with the engineering field, include engineering design, material processing, quantitative analysis, and professionalism. Our Stage 2 STEM challenges are focused on this area to incorporate grade-appropriate practices into an engineering design challenge.
Use the concepts of engineering practices to scaffold learning and add authentic engineering to your classroom. Select a practice and look at the performance matrices. Help students achieve a deeper understanding of the practice by emphasizing a concept during a design challenge and providing real-world examples. For example, provide a case study of how an engineering company identified risk (EM-ED-1), used computer-aided design to inform a decision (EP-ED-5), and assessed environmental impacts (EP-P-4).
Engineering Knowledge
Finally, engineering knowledge spans three broad areas: engineering sciences, engineering mathematics, and engineering technical applications. In P-12 grades, students are never expected to master these domains. Instead, students draw from relevant concepts to inform engineering practices to solve problems. Click here for the full list of topics.
Here is an example of how we incorporate these subjects into our Stage 2 STEM challenges.
Engineering sciences: Apply knowledge of aerodynamics to design a space lander
Engineering mathematics: Students measure how the angle of launch impacts the distance traveled for a straw rocket
Engineering technical applications: Students design and build a Mars rover by testing an electronic device to perform a specific task.
The key here is to focus on depth over breadth. While students might enjoy a new engineering challenge every week, educators should take a pause and consider diving deeper into the content related to the activity. What science concepts can inform design decisions? How can geometry and algebra support testing and analysis? Connect challenges with other relevant standards document such as the NGSS, CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards, Standards for Technological Literacy, and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.
Note that engineering is not tinkering. An aerospace engineer doesn’t guess at the shape of a wing, build an airplane, and then hope it works! Fluid mechanics, mechanics of materials, statics, and other domains are critical to designing a functional airplane. Elementary teachers can start to introduce some of these topics, and then as students reach middle and high school, they too can begin applying math, science, and technology to inform design decisions.
In our programs, Stage 3 STEM challenges are most resembling authentic engineering. For example, our Mars Colony Project guides students to designing and building a prototype of a colony on Mars that includes engineering and mental health solutions. While we can’t possibly mimic all aspects of how NASA engineers approach a similar problem in the real world, we highlight examples of how professionals use engineering knowledge to inform decisions.
Now what? Applying the Framework to Your STEM Classroom
As you consider what to incorporate into a STEM classroom, how can you use these three domains in your planning?
Habits of Mind: Teaching a habit requires modeling, feedback, and practice. Whether, elementary or high school, be intentional about incorporating different habits of mind throughout the year at an age-appropriate level.
Engineering Practices: Review the different practices above and click here for a deeper dive into a performance matrix. Are you incorporating any of these practices in your classroom? As students progress in an engineering program, they can start adding more advanced practices like a concept map for ideation, a Gantt chart for project planning, a computer-aided design tool for prototyping, and more. The framework provides a design challenge project template (see below) that shows how a design challenge can consider clients, deliverables, project management, and other areas.
Engineering Knowledge: Use the engineering knowledge as a starting point to identify relevant concepts and to organize STEM programs. For example, perhaps a year-long program is focused on units that cover: statics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics. Each of these topics can be used to develop engineering design challenges that incorporate habits of mind and practices. The framework also encourages that lessons are socially relevant and culturally situated:
Look at your community for examples of projects for engineering learning
Connect to students’ experiences and ability levels
Scaffold learning for students
Below is an engineering design-based lesson plan that shows how engineering habits of mind, practices, and knowledge can all fit into one unit.
Framework for P-12 Engineering Learning page 86. An example is provided on page 48.
What do you think? Is this new Framework a useful tool for your STEM classroom? How do you define the scope and sequence of your STEM or engineering program?
Click here to learn more about the framework and additional resources.
